THE rather pessimistically named Hard Core Debt can finally cash in at Catterick.Trainer Brian Ellison has been unable to get a win on the board with the four-year-old since his arrival from Ireland last summer, but that may change after the Yorkshire Welcomes Le Grand Depart Handicap.
The gelded son of Muhtathir was rated as highly as 86 in his homeland, but he has not yet replicated the kind of form which saw him easily claim a Sligo maiden last June.
There have, however, been increasingly positive signs that he is finally getting his act together for the North Yorkshire handler.
Hard Core Debt shaped reasonably well at Musselburgh on June 7, on ground that was probably softer than ideal, after which his effort over a mile at Redcar a few weeks later was another step up.
Despite breaking slowly - as is his wont - the Ellison horse did well to gain a foothold into the race before he grew a little weary late on.
Hard Core Debt was still only beaten three-quarters of a length Tanawar, which is no mean effort at that grade.
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